Red Bulls Weekly Update: July 6

RED BULLS HOST D.C. UNITED SATURDAY FOR ATLANTIC CUP: The New York Red Bulls look to run their unbeaten streak to five games when they host Atlantic Cup rival D.C. United on Saturday, July 10 at Red Bull Arena at 7:30 PM ET (TV: MSG; Radio: WQBU 92.7 FM). A victory or a tie would give them the Atlantic Cup – the annual winner in the regular season competition between the two clubs – for the first time since 2003.

New York has gained a point in each match they’ve played in since May 29, going 3-0-1 in that span after picking up their first draw of the season at Colorado on July 4. The Red Bulls’ overall record of 8-5-1 gives them 25 points and they are just two behind Eastern Conference leader, the Columbus Crew.

New York welcomes D.C. United to Red Bull Arena for the first time ever. United comes into the match in a three-way tie with New England and Philadelphia for 6th place in the Eastern Conference, posting a record of 3-9-2 and 11 points. In its last match, D.C. earned a 1-1 draw at Buck Shaw Stadium in San Jose against the Earthquakes. The Quakes jumped out to an early lead through Ike Opara in the 16th minute, but United equalized in the 2nd half. D.C. rookie and academy product Andy Najar found the back of the net in the 54th minute, and the teams finished even on the night.

This will be the 54th regular season installment of the Atlantic Cup rivalry between the Red Bulls and D.C. United, and the second and final meeting between the teams this season. D.C. leads the all-time series, as the Red Bulls have posted a record of 18-29-6 against United. Back on May 1, the Red Bulls defeated D.C. at RFK Stadium by a score of 2-0. Second half goals by Salou Ibrahim and Juan Pablo Angel paced New York, who picked up their first victory at RFK Stadium since 2005.

The winner of the Atlantic Cup is determined first by standings points earned in the two head-to-head games between the two teams. If that is equal, the next tiebreaker is total goals before total away goals. If the teams are still tied, United would retain the cup.RED BULLS DRAW COLORADO, 1-1: Forward Juan Pablo Angel’s team-high ninth goal of the season cancelled out an Omar Cummings 15th minute strike as the New York Red Bulls earned a 1-1 tie against the Colorado Rapids on Sunday night at a rain-soaked Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. With the tie, the team’s first in 14 games, the Red Bulls improved to 25 points with an 8-5-1 record and are currently in second place in the Eastern Conference – two points behind the Columbus Crew.

Colorado took the lead in the 15th minute. Defender Marvell Wynne found an onside Conor Casey with space along the right wing. Casey took it in towards the penalty box before hitting a low cross to Cummings, who one-timed it past goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul inside the left post.

The Red Bulls, now unbeaten in their last four matches (3-0-1), looked to get back into the game later in the half, with Chris Albright heading it straight at goalkeeper Matt Pickens. In the 33rd minute, Angel had a good chance to tie the game after he was put in on goal by Dane Richards. However, Pickens was quick off his line to block the Colombian’s shot away.

Angel, though, was able to put his name on the scoresheet just a minute later. Sinisa Ubiparipovic’s inswinging corner kick fell to the Red Bulls’ all-time leading goal scorer, who controlled it before firing a rocket into the roof of the goal. The tally was Angel’s fifth in as many games.

With the game tied, Ubiparipovic looked for a streaking Joel Lindpere into the penalty box and the Estonian rolled a shot that Pickens went down to save in the 42nd minute. The Red Bulls came out strong to begin the second half, with Angel putting a shot from 15-yards out over the bar three minutes in. Two minutes later, Richards had a golden opportunity to put New York in front, as he got free on the right side of the 18-yard box and blasted a shot that was punched away by Pickens.

Both teams endured strong winds and heavy rain especially in the second half, but the conditions did not discourage attacking soccer. In the 61st minute, Rapids midfielder Jeff Larentowicz tried to test Coundoul from 30-yards-out with a low blast on frame, but the goalkeeper went down to push it away. Six minutes later, Colorado’s Mehdi Ballouchy rifled a shot from 25 yards out that beat Coundoul and slammed off the woodwork.

The Rapids kept pressing to find a game-winner. Midfielder Colin Clark cut in past his defender and right-footed an attempt over the bar. Soon after, Casey got on the end of a Kosuke Kimura delivery and nodded it just past the left post.

ANGEL ADDS TO HIS TALLY: With his equalizer against Colorado on July 4, Juan Pablo Angel increased his franchise leading goal tally. Angel, who won MLS Player of the Week honors last week for his two-goal performance in a 3-0 win over the Kansas City Wizards June 26, is now in sole possession of second place in goals scored in MLS this season with nine, one behind the Los Angeles Galaxy’s Edson Buddle. The award was Angel’s fourth of his career.

STARS ON SHOW AT WORLD FOOTBALL CHALLENGE: The rosters of the four clubs participating in the New York Football Challenge 2010 boast over 20 players on World Cup 2010 rosters with more players looking to join after the World Cup. Soon after the World Cup concludes, these players will return to their clubs to prepare for the New York Football Challenge and their upcoming seasons. The Challenge will take place between the New York Red Bulls, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Sporting Clube de Portugal from July 22-25, 2010 at Red Bull Arena. Tickets are currently on sale by calling 1.877.RBSOCCER or CLICKING HERE.

Manchester City’s roster currently has several internationals playing at the World Cup, including Carlos Tevez of Argentina, Roque Santa Cruz of Paraguay, Kolo Toure of Ivory Coast, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Joe Hart, and Gareth Barry of England, Nigel de Jong of Netherlands, Vladimir Weiss of Slovakia, and Jerome Boateng of Germany.

Tottenham’s roster also currently many players that competed in South Africa: Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, Ledley King, Michael Dawson, and Aaron Lennon of England, Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Sebastian Bassong of Cameroon, Wilson Palacios of Honduras, and Giovani dos Santos of Mexico.

Sporting Clube de Portugal’s roster currently has three (3) internationals playing at the World Cup, including Liédson and Pedro Mendes of Portugal, and Matias Fernandez of Chile.

The New York Red Bulls’ Andrew Boyens of New Zealand was also at the World Cup.

STAMMLER THIRD IN GAMES PLAYED, MENDES TIES RAMOS: Making his 12th start of the season on Sunday against Colorado, midfielder Seth Stammler made his 134th appearance for the Red Bulls, third all-time behind teammates Mike Petke and John Wolyniec. Defender Carlos Mendes, starting in central defense, tied New York legend Tab Ramos for 8th on the franchise list in games played, with 112 appearances.

BOYENS RETURNS FROM WORLD CUP: New York Red Bulls defender Andrew Boyens and his New Zealand teammates went undefeated in Group F at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but their three points were not enough to advance past the group stage. The All-Whites drew with Paraguay, 0-0 on June 24 in their final group stage match after tying Slovakia 1-1 on June 15 and 2006 World Champion Italy 1-1 on June 20. Boyens did not appear for New Zealand. He returned to the United States on June 27 and played 120 minutes in the Red Bulls’ 1-0 extra time loss to the Harrisburg City Islanders in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on June 29.

Boyens, 26, has 13 caps for the New Zealand national team, and competed in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, starting against Spain and South Africa. He has been among the 18-man matchday roster for seven regular season matches in the 2010 season for coach Hans Backe, but has yet to appear. Boyens has made three starts in the U.S. Open Cup.

RED BULLS KNOCKED OUT OF USOC WITH EXTRA TIME LOSS: The New York Red Bulls were eliminated by the Harrisburg City Islanders (USL-2) from the 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in a 1-0 third round extra time loss Tuesday, June 29 at Skyline Sports Complex. City Islanders substitute Dominic Oppong tallied the game-winner in the 117th minute to give the hosts the win. Early on, New York looked to control the game, as midfielder Brian Nielsen tried a long range strike five minutes in that was caught by Harrisburg and former Red Bulls goalkeeper Danny Cepero. In the 16th minute, City Islanders forward Geoff Bloes got free in the penalty box and headed a Jason Hotchkin delivery right at goalkeeper Greg Sutton.

On the other end, the Red Bulls had the best chance of the half to go ahead in the 22nd minute. After a New York free kick, the ball was swung in again and deflected by forward John Wolyniec to Mike Petke, whose volley on frame from 12 yards out was tipped away by Cepero. Four minutes later, Nielsen one-timed a 16-yard shot at Cepero.

In the second half, the City Islanders tested Sutton four minutes in, as Bloes was able to get space off a counterattack and slid a shot towards the left post that the goalkeeper went down to haul in. Five minutes later, Conor Chinn flicked a Nielsen cross to Irving Garcia, whose volley was caught by a diving Cepero.

The teams kept exchanging chances later in the period, with Sheanon Williams getting free from six yards and nodding a J.T. Noone cross just past the left post. Soon after, Chinn muscled past his defender into the box and found Wolyniec, who turned and shot it into the side netting. Williams later had a step on the Red Bulls’ defense, but his ensuing attempt went straight to Sutton.

With 20 minutes left in full time, Chinn forced Cepero into another acrobatic save after he first-timed a feed from Wolyniec, who made a darting run to the endline. Bloes had an additional chance on net three minutes after, getting some space on the right side of the penalty box and putting it past the left post.

The hosts had the best chance during the first 15 minutes of extra time. After defender Roy Miller cleared, the ball went straight to substitute Vince Petrasso, whose one-time shot beat Sutton but slammed off the right post.

Oppong scored the eventual game-winner with three minutes left in the game. After Sutton went to block a shot, the rebound fell to Bloes, who forced the goalkeeper to push it away. The ball eventually came out to an open Oppong and he blasted it into the back of the net.

MATCH TICKETS FOR SECOND HALF ON SALE: Match tickets for the second half of the Red Bulls’ season ware on sale now. Fans can purchase Groups, Family Packs and individual match tickets for all Red Bulls’ matches in August and beyond by calling 1.877.RBSOCCER or by CLICKING HERE. Also, tickets for the New York Football Challenge from July 22-25 featuring the Red Bulls, English Premiership clubs Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur and Portuguese side Sporting Clube de Portugal are on sale to the general public as well.The full schedule of matches that are on sale is as follows:

SOLO FUTBOL AIRS SUNDAY: Red Bulls WADO 1280 AM and 92.7 FM announcers Ernesto Motta and Robert Sierra host their weekly call-in radio show, Solo Futbol, on Sunday night from 8-11 PM on WADO 1280 AM. Motta, Sierra and their panel of experts and guests analyze the Beautiful Game and the New York Red Bulls.